NBA Top 10 PG Rankings

As we get closer and closer to the opening tip of the NBA season we will be doing some positional rankings in the next couple weeks.  I will be ranking the top 10 players at each position.  So let’s get started with the top 10 point guards in the Association.

1. Chris Paul, New Orleans: This guy might be the best overall player in the whole NBA.  He had a PER of 28.39 last year which was 2nd in the league and by far the best among point guards.  He will win multiple MVPs and has elevated the franchise to bring a legitimate contender.  Plus he is just 23.  Look out.
2. Deron Williams, Utah: Here is another young and emerging star in the NBA.  He is tough to keep out of the paint, but the thing that really makes him special is his outstanding shooting range.  I think we all remember the big shots he hit in the Olympics gold medal game against Spain.  I look forward to several Western Conference playoff battles between Paul and Williams for years to come.
3. Steve Nash, Phoenix: Everyone knows that his vision and shooting ability are unmatched.  However, the fact that he is not capable of keeping other guards out of the paint is a mjaor problem.  It’s too bad that the championship window for the Suns has closed.
4. Tony Parker, San Antonio: Probably still one of the more underrated players in the league.  His speed and energy is really what makes the Spurs offense go.  He also excels under pressure where he is as cool as the other side of the pillow.
5. Chauncey Billups, Detroit: He has not played at the same high level recently but he is still Mr. Big Shot.  I think Billups and the Pistons will have a big bounce back year and be in the mix for a championship.  What we really need to see is the hunger and tenacity from Billups again.  His skills are unquestioned.
6. Baron Davis, LA Clippers: When Davis plays a full 82 games, he is one of the best players in the league.  He showed that in Golden State where he led them to the 2nd round of the playoffs two years ago.  However, his supporting cast in LA leaves a lot to be desired.
7. Gilbert Arenas, Washington: Agent Zero’s confidence and shooting ability are not in doubt.  However, he has become a major health concern.  He has another knee surgery to overcome and you wonder just how much more we will get to see him out on the floor.
8. Monta Ellis, Golden State: The injury was a disappointment because with Davis gone, this was supposed to be the major breakthrough year for Ellis.  He had a PER of 19.01 last year which was 9th among point guards.  When he returns he will remind people just how tough he is to defend.
9. Jason Kidd, Dallas: Kidd helped lead USA basketball to another gold medal but he was more of a coach and leader than a clutch performer.  He still has the smarts and vision to be a good point guard but his athleticism has declined.  He cannot defend anymore and his career is winding down at the moment.
10. Andre Miller, Philadelphia: This is another aging point guard but not as old as Kidd.  Miller has always been underrated since he continues to be one of the best assist men in the league.  Putting him together with Andre Iguodola and Elton Brand will be very exciting for Philly fans to see this year.

That’s it.  That’s the list.

Also receiving votes: Jose Calderon, TJ Ford, Kirk Hinrich, Mo Williams, Jason Terry

Coast to Coast: 9/25/08

Let’s push the ball up the court as we go from coast to coast with the stories from around the league.

• KTAR.com is reporting Goran Dragic of the Suns had his first practice with the Suns and he is comparing his game to Tony Parker’s.  ”I like to penetrate, play pass basketball,” he said. “I’m a good defender, I like to play defense and make some [opportunities] for other teammates.”  Remember the backup to Steve Nash is a very important position.  You don’t want to have to go into a funk offensively when Nash is on the bench.
• The Seattle Post Intelligencer is reporting that the Spurs have signed George Hill, the team’s first round draft pick.  Hill and free agent addition Salim Stoudamire need to help rejuvenate the Spurs bench.  Their bench was old and ineffective last year and was their ultimate undoing.]
• The Rocky Mountain News is reporting that the Nuggets are bringing Nick Fazekas to training camp on a nonguaranteed contract.  I can see him as a good fit in Denver because of his scoring ability and his indifference towards playing defense.
• Frank Isola of the Daily News is wondering the same thing as all of us: how is what Jay Z doing not tampering with LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers.  Says Isola, “Did you happen to see the photo of Jay-Z and LeBron James in last Friday’s Daily News? The Nets minority owner and the NBA’s second best player were together attending a fundraiser in Manhattan (and no, it wasn’t to help finance the Barclays Center in downtown Brooklyn.)  These two guys are spotted together so often that Beyonce is starting to ask questions. At what point will the Cleveland Cavaliers start accusing the Nets of tampering?”  Yes Frank, it is enough to make you sick.  Maybe the Nets should consider getting some NBA level talent before expecting LeBron to come to a terrible team.
• The Orlando Sentinel is reporting that Hedo Turkoglu will likely opt out of his contract at the end of the season.  This is somewhat of a problem for Orlando.  Sure he is old but he is still arguably the best scorer on their roster and someone they look to in the clutch.
• The Orange County Register had an interesting Q & A with Andrew Bynum.  The most interesting quote was this: “Yet perhaps the most revealing and key bit of information Bynum shared with a near-capacity room of Lakers fans during the Register-sponsored Q&A was that his surgically repaired knee is in “super” condition.”  Look out Western Conference.

Coast to Coast: 9/2/08

Hope everyone had a great Labor Day weekend.  Let’s go coast to coast.

• The Philadelphia Daily News is reporting that the 76ers are to sign free agent Donyell Marshall.  The contract is likely to be for the veterans’ minimum.  The team was in need of bolstering their outside shooting so Marshall seems to be a good fit for coming off the bench.
• The Ben Gordon saga appears to be far from over.  The Arlington Daily News is reporting that the Bulls are offering a 6-year, $59 million deal.  Gordon reportedly wants around $12 million a year.  Gordon has also stated that he expects a sign and trade soon.  However, league sources claim that there is not one credible rumor of a team that is seriously interested.  He also claims he’d rather play in Greece for one year at $10 million than stay for one awkward season with the Bulls.
• The Palm Beach Post is reporting that the Miami Heat will sign free agent Jamaal Magloire.  The Heat are in desperate need of some help at center and don’t have much cap room to spend.  But Jamaal Magloire won’t exactly help much.
• ESPN has come out with some of their preseason predictions.  You can see them here.  For the awards they are predicting LeBron James to win MVP, Michael Beasley to win Rookie of the Year, Elton Brand to be the best newcomer, and Baron Davis and Jermaine O’Neal to be the worst newcomers.
• ESPN has also released predictions for how they think the Eastern Conference will shake out.  According to them the playoff teams from the East will be Boston, Detroit, Cleveland, Orlando, Philadelphia, Toronto, Washington, and Miami.
• They have also come out with their predictions for the Western Conference.  The predicted playoff teams are Los Angeles, New Orleans, Houston, Utah, San Antonio, Phoenix, Dallas, and Portland.
• There are pictures flying around the internet of what the logos and uniforms of the Oklahoma City franchise will be.  It is expected that they will be named the Thunder but nothing has been official.  Everything is supposed to be announced this week.  But it can’t hurt to look at what the uniforms and logos are rumored to be.
• The USA Today is reporting that the Phoenix Suns and head coach Terry Porter are planning on limiting Steve Nash’s minutes in the regular season to make sure that he is fresh for the playoffs.  I’m not sure if this matters much.  Their championship window appears to have closed especially with how much the Western Conference has improved over the last couple years.
• Slow news day around the league.  Over the next couple months I’ll be posting my breakdown of each of the divisions in the NBA as well as my preseason power rankings.  So stay tuned.